Energy technology could save NHS £130m a years, Centrica says

Prime Minister Theresa May and Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Jeremy Hunt meet nurses during a tour of the Royal Free Hospital, north London following the announcement of increased NHS funding. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Monday June 18, 2018. Later in a speech she outlined how spending on the health service will grow by £384 million a week in real terms by 2024. See PA story POLITICS NHS. Photo credit should read: Dan Kitwood/PA Wire

The NHS could save more than £130 million if it updated its “inefficient and outdated” energy systems, according to data released by Centrica Business Solutions.

The findings suggest the savings could fund more than 4,000 nursing jobs.

The figures are part of a wider report that examines the potential impact of distributed energy solutions on national job creation, economic growth and productivity.

Jorge Pikunic, managing director at Centrica Business Solutions, said: “Our NHS is an incredible healthcare system and a source of national pride – but it’s also under intense pressure to reduce costs while delivering enhanced services. Energy has a huge role to play in that.

“Energy could – and should – be a force for good for the NHS, helping to create financial efficiencies and unlock opportunities to make improvements in patient care. However, it needs more support and funding to modernise its hospital estates.

“Energy technology has come a long way in the past few decades and the systems used by most hospitals across Britain can benefit from the latest energy efficient solutions and equipment. A new approach to energy could save the NHS £130m per year – and that’s just a conservative estimate. The savings could be double this.”